Traffic Cone with a Reflective Sleeve

ABSTRACT

A traffic cone has a conical body and at least one reflective sleeve. The at least one reflective sleeve is mounted on and around a conical portion of the conical body. Multiple adhering portions and multiple non-adhering portions are alternately arranged on a laminating surface of the at least one reflective sleeve. The adhering portions are adhered to the conical portion of the conical body. Thus, even though the at least one reflective sleeve and the conical body are different materials and have different coefficients of thermal expansion, the non-adhering portions provide rooms for expansion of the conical portion and the at least one reflective sleeve. Therefore, the at least one reflective sleeve is capable of remaining smoothly and securely attached despite the traffic cone being exposed to significant variations in the temperature of the environment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a traffic cone, especially to a trafficcone with a reflective sleeve.

2. Description of the Prior Art(s)

Traffic cones are placed on roads or around construction sites totemporarily redirect traffic or to warn of hazards, etc. With referenceto FIG. 4, a conventional traffic cone has a conical body 5 and areflective sleeve 6. The reflective sleeve 6 is adhered to an outerconical surface of the conical body 5 and reflects light to draw theattention of drivers, pedestrians, etc.

However, since the conventional traffic cones are put outdoors and areexposed to the burning sun or the freezing nights, the conventionaltraffic cones that are made of plastic expand or contract as temperaturechanges. As the reflective sleeve 6 is adhered to the outer conicalsurface of the conical body 5 with the adhesive, and the reflectivesleeve 6 and the conical body 5 are different materials and havedifferent coefficients of thermal expansion, the reflective sleeve 6wrinkles when the conventional traffic cone expands or contracts andthen the sleeve 6 separates from the conical body 5 easily. This rendersthe traffic cone vastly less noticeable, defeating the objective ofplacing them in position.

To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a trafficcone with a reflective sleeve to mitigate or obviate the aforementionedproblems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main objective of the present invention is to provide a traffic conewith a reflective sleeve. The traffic cone has a conical body and thereflective sleeve. The reflective sleeve is mounted on and around aconical portion of the conical body. Multiple adhering portions andmultiple non-adhering portions are alternately arranged on a laminatingsurface of the reflective sleeve. The adhering portions are adhered tothe conical portion of the conical body.

Thus, even though the reflective sleeve and the conical body aredifferent materials and have different coefficients of thermalexpansion, the non-adhering portions provide rooms for expansions of theconical portion and the reflective sleeve. Therefore, the reflectivesleeve is capable of remaining securely and smoothly attached to thetraffic cone despite being exposed to significant temperature variationsin the environment, such as searing sunlight and freezing nights.

Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention willbecome more apparent from the following detailed description when takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a traffic cone with a reflective sleevein accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional top view of the traffic cone in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2B is an enlarged cross-sectional top view of the traffic cone inFIG. 1;

FIG. 3A is cross-sectional top view of another embodiment of a trafficcone with a reflective sleeve in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3B is an enlarged cross-sectional top view of the traffic cone inFIG. 3A; and,

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a conventional traffic cone inaccordance with the prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to FIG. 1, a traffic cone in accordance with the presentinvention comprises a conical body 1, at least one reflective sleeve 2and multiple adhering portions 3.

The conical body 1 is made of plastic, and has a conical portion 10 anda bottom panel 11. The conical portion 10 tapers inward from a bottom ofthe conical portion 10 to a top of the conical portion 10 and has anouter conical surface. The bottom panel 11 is formed around the bottomof the conical portion 10.

The at least one reflective sleeve 2 is circular and flexible, and ismounted on and around the conical portion 10. Each of the at least onereflective sleeve 2 has a reflective surface and a laminating surface.The laminating surface corresponds to the outer conical surface of theconical portion 10.

The adhering portions 3 are separately disposed on the laminatingsurface of the at least one reflective sleeve 2 and are adhered to theouter conical surface of the conical portion 10. Multiple non-adheringportions 4 are defined on the laminating surface of the at least onereflective sleeve 2 and are separately defined between the adheringportions 3. The adhering portions 3 and the non-adhering portions 4 arealternately arranged around the outer conical surface of the conicalportion 10.

The traffic cone may have multiple reflective sleeves 2. The reflectivesleeves 2 are mounted around the conical portion 10 and are verticallyarranged on the conical portion 10.

With reference to FIGS. 1, 2A, and 2B, in a preferred embodiment, theouter conical surface of the conical portion 10 may be smooth.

With reference to FIGS. 3A and 3B, in another preferred embodiment, theconical portion 10A may further have multiple recesses 12A. The recesses12A are separately formed in the outer conical surface of the conicalportion 10A and respectively correspond to the non-adhering portions 4A.

The traffic cone with the at least one reflective sleeve 2, 2A asdescribed has the following advantages. Since the adhering portions 3and the non-adhering portions 4, 4A are alternately arranged around theouter conical surface of the conical portion 10, 10A, even though the atleast one reflective sleeve 2, 2A and the conical body 10, 10A aredifferent materials and have different coefficients of thermalexpansion, the non-adhering portions 4, 4A provide rooms for expansionsof the conical portion 10, 10A and the at least one reflective sleeve 2,2A. Therefore, the at least one reflective sleeve 2, 2A is capable ofbeing kept smoothly adhered to the conical body 10, 10A despite thetraffic cone being exposed to significant variations in the temperatureof the environment.

Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the presentinvention have been set forth in the foregoing description, togetherwith details of the structure and features of the invention, thedisclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in the details,especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts withinthe principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by thebroad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims areexpressed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A traffic cone comprising a conical body having aconical portion tapering from a bottom of the conical portion to a topof the conical portion and having an outer conical surface; and a bottompanel formed around the bottom of the conical portion; at least onereflective sleeve mounted on and around the conical portion, and each ofthe at least one reflective sleeve having a reflective surface; and alaminating surface corresponding to the outer conical surface of theconical portion; multiple adhering portions separately disposed on thelaminating surface of the at least one reflective sleeve and adhered tothe outer conical surface of the conical portion; and multiplenon-adhering portions defined on the laminating surface of the at leastone reflective sleeve and separately defined between the adheringportions; wherein the adhering portions and the non-adhering portionsare alternately arranged around the outer conical surface of the conicalportion.
 2. The traffic cone as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outerconical surface of the conical portion is smooth.
 3. The traffic cone asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the conical portion further has multiplerecesses separately formed in the outer conical surface of the conicalportion and respectively corresponding to the non-adhering portions.